Zion, RJ, and Cam - and the lottery results

[ice-9]

Bolden averaged 9.4 rebounds per 40 which is nearly identical to Jack White’s 9.3 and significantly lower than Javin’s 10.7. I wouldn’t consider Bolden’s rebounding stats particularly strong for a center. OTOH, his blocks per minutes played are superb.

Bolden had 11.2 the season prior. So "about" 10.

[House P]

Bolden had 11.2 the season prior. So "about" 10.

Good point. My previous post highlighted Bolden's low defensive rebounding percentage in 2018-19. However, his defensive rebounding percentage in 2017-18 was 17.8%, which is around the middle of the pack for a guy 6'9" or taller.

[BigZ]

Rumors that Pelicans eyeying Cam w 4th pick

[Furniture]

Rumors that Pelicans eyeying Cam w 4th pick

Do the Pelicans have the 4th pick? I thought it was the Lakers.

[sagegrouse]

Do the Pelicans have the 4th pick? I thought it was the Lakers.

Lots of goings-on today, Furniture. AD to Lakers in return for Ingram, Ball, Hart and #4 pick this year plus other #1 picks in future.

[Furniture]

Lots of goings-on today, Furniture. AD to Lakers in return for Ingram, Ball, Hart and #4 pick this year plus other #1 picks in future.

O gosh. Got it. Thaaaaat would be crazy (Cam as well I mean). Too crazy.

[BigZ]

The Lakers will technically make the pick bc AD deal can’t be finalized until July. The league needs to do something about other teams being forced to draft for other teams. It just looks stupid

[nmduke2001]

With the assets available, I wonder if NO makes
a play at number 2 or 3 to grab RJ. it appears as though RJ and Zion are very close and maybe Zion has some input into the draft.

I’d love to see RJ or Cam get selected. NO could potentially have an all Duke lineup with Frank, RJ or Cam, Brandon, Zion and Okafor.

Frankly, I’m fascinated with the Brandon Ingram and Zion experiment. They have such different skill sets but they could be very complimentary.

I do think they need to trade Holiday. It’s sort of the right thing to do with a rebuilding team.

[slower]

I’d love to see RJ or Cam get selected. NO could potentially have an all Duke lineup with Frank, RJ or Cam, Brandon, Zion and Okafor.

Although only the most hard-core Duke fans would be interested in seeing that lineup take the floor.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Although only the most hard-core Duke fans would be interested in seeing that lineup take the floor.

So... 95% of this board?

[CameronBornAndBred]

With the assets available, I wonder if NO makes
a play at number 2 or 3 to grab RJ. it appears as though RJ and Zion are very close and maybe Zion has some input into the draft.

From everything I've read, RJ is thrilled about landing in the Garden. I'm not sure he'd be as thrilled with NO. (Plus, at this point, I don't think the Lakers would have anything left to give up, they cleaned out the kitchen for Davis, including the sink.)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

From everything I've read, RJ is thrilled about landing in the Garden. I'm not sure he'd be as thrilled with NO. (Plus, at this point, I don't think the Lakers would have anything left to give up, they cleaned out the kitchen for Davis, including the sink.)

It's possible that the goodwill and brotherly friendship between Zion and RJ had something to do with the short term and mutually beneficial relationship. I don't know that RJ wants to start his NBA career under the shadow of his buddy Zion. Having them coexist in a jovial way was fun to watch, but eight months in college is different than several years of a job.

[CameronBornAndBred]

From everything I've read, RJ is thrilled about landing in the Garden. I'm not sure he'd be as thrilled with NO. (Plus, at this point, I don't think the Lakers would have anything left to give up, they cleaned out the kitchen for Davis, including the sink.)

Note to self, don't post before your first cup of coffee.
Not sure why I mentioned the Lakers, since we are talking about NO taking RJ. I truly think in the long run that the Pelicans got the better end of that trade, no matter who gets taken at #4.

[NSDukeFan]

Note to self, don't post before your first cup of coffee.
Not sure why I mentioned the Lakers, since we are talking about NO taking RJ. I truly think in the long run that the Pelicans got the better end of that trade, no matter who gets taken at #4.

I think it might depend on how much LeBron has left and if the Lakers make those future draft picks at the bottom of round 1.

[Steven43]

I truly think in the long run that the Pelicans got the better end of that trade, no matter who gets taken at #4.

If Ingram and Ball can stay relatively healthy, Josh Hart turns out to be pretty good, and New Orleans gets a good player (might not know the answer to that for at least a year or two) with the #4 pick I think the trade will turn out to be at least a wash, with the potential of favoring the Pelicans, particularly if at least one of the players they get with the other first-round picks turns out to be good.

I’m hesitant to get too excited for the Lakers in this deal because Davis is not the type of player who can truly be a game-changer like a Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, or Kawhi Leonard. By that I mean a player built for the modern game with all-court ability inside and out. Davis is more an old school PF or C and that’s not what moves the needle the way the game is played today.

[subzero02]

I think it might depend on how much LeBron has left and if the Lakers make those future draft picks at the bottom of round 1.

I'm sure that both squads anticipate that the Lakers' 2021 1st round pick will be a low pick and obviously NO is hoping that the 2024 pick will be much higher. Assuming that after next season Davis signs a 4 year max deal with the player option clause for the last year, LA will be looking at a 36 year old Lebron and a 28 year old Davis in 2021. in 2024 Lebron will be 39 and more than likely, he'll be retired. Davis will be 31 and if he avoids injuries, he'll still be in his prime or very close to it but it's anyone's guess as to where he'll be playing. If he's still in LA, NO might get another low first round pick.

[NSDukeFan]

If Ingram and Ball can stay relatively healthy, Josh Hart turns out to be pretty good, and New Orleans gets a good player (might not know the answer to that for at least a year or two) with the #4 pick I think the trade will turn out to be at least a wash, with the potential of favoring the Pelicans, particularly if at least one of the players they get with the other first-round picks turns out to be good.

I’m hesitant to get too excited for the Lakers in this deal because Davis is not the type of player who can truly be a game-changer like a Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, or Kawhi Leonard. By that I mean a player built for the modern game with all-court ability inside and out. Davis is more an old school PF or C and that’s not what moves the needle the way the game is played today.

Isn’t Davis one of the biggest game-changers in the world? He hasn’t had a team to take far in the playoffs yet, but he is as good a modern center who can do it all inside and out as anyone.

[Steven43]

Isn’t Davis one of the biggest game-changers in the world? He hasn’t had a team to take far in the playoffs yet, but he is as good a modern center who can do it all inside and out as anyone.

Hmm. Not from what I’ve seen of him. Davis is no more of a 3-pt-shooting threat than, say, Joel Embiid. I don’t think these kinds of players — centers who can shoot just okay from three and only when they’re wide open — are where the game is won or lost these days. They can certainly still be valuable to a team, but I don’t think they are the true difference-makers that win championships.

The Lakers desperately need outside shooting. Davis doesn’t help with that. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’ll be a good player for them. I just don’t see him as the guy who enables them to be elite. He is not the missing piece like Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard were/are.

[subzero02]

If Ingram and Ball can stay relatively healthy, Josh Hart turns out to be pretty good, and New Orleans gets a good player (might not know the answer to that for at least a year or two) with the #4 pick I think the trade will turn out to be at least a wash, with the potential of favoring the Pelicans, particularly if at least one of the players they get with the other first-round picks turns out to be good.

I’m hesitant to get too excited for the Lakers in this deal because Davis is not the type of player who can truly be a game-changer like a Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, or Kawhi Leonard. By that I mean a player built for the modern game with all-court ability inside and out. Davis is more an old school PF or C and that’s not what moves the needle the way the game is played today.

Davis will absolutely be a game changer and if you play alongside Lebron for the Lakers, winning and playoff runs are all you need to keep moving the needle. I also believe that AD's game and style of play are every bit as likely to move the needle as Leonard's game and style.

[Steven43]

Davis will absolutely be a game changer and if you play alongside Lebron for the Lakers, winning and playoff runs are all you need to keep moving the needle. I also believe that AD's game and style of play are every bit as likely to move the needle as Leonard's game and style.

If what you say were true — Davis is a game-changer — I would think he would have done more with his team than he has. He was in New Orleans for seven seasons with little to show for it team-wise.